In an ideal world, all healthcare would be accessible to everyone, regardless of their disability, gender, race, or socioeconomic status. A great deal of progress has been made in the pursuit of this world, though it’s fair to say that there’s a great deal of work still to be done. Let’s take a closer look and what accessible healthcare looks like, and what barriers still stand in the way of it being made a reality.
What Do We Mean by “Accessible Healthcare”?
Healthcare can take many forms. So too, therefore, can access to healthcare. Here, we might be talking about a physical building that can’t be reached by a person in a wheelchair. Or, we might be talking about written materials and resources that can’t be read by someone with poor eyesight, or that are not written in Plain English. If access is digital, then it will need to work with everyone’s digital device and be reliable. Finally, there are problems with culture and attitude, like systemic racism, which might cause individuals and entire organisations to treat patients differently.
Why Accessible Healthcare Matters for Preventive and Early Intervention
When healthcare can’t be accessed, or accessing it is sufficiently difficult that patients are dissuaded from seeking help, it can lead to greater costs in the long term. In the absence of care, a disease might become more complex, and harder to treat. Minor issues might become severe, and quality of life might deteriorate. As well as the direct human cost of this, we should think also about how long-term illness can inflict economic harm, by driving absenteeism, and curbing productivity.
Sometimes, treatment might be offered proactively, even if no symptoms have been detected. For example, a chlamydia test might allow a patient to enjoy greater peace of mind when embarking on a new sexual relationship.
In recent times, the government has set out a new ‘10 Year Health Plan’, designed to prevent illness through early intervention. This will be facilitated by a number of digital tools, and through a shift from hospital treatment to community-based treatment.
Equity, Inclusion and Reducing Health Inequalities
Sometimes, the barriers to effective healthcare are plain to see. A poorer person who must work twelve hours a day will generally have more difficulty finding a moment to seek treatment than a wealthy person who benefits from flexible working hours.
Often, a lack of access to healthcare can exacerbate the disparities we see in society. For example, if you can’t get a doctor’s appointment at a time that suits your working hours, then you might be forced to take time off, which can negatively impact your finances still further.
Innovations, Challenges and Future Directions in the UK
A number of measures are planned to address these challenges. For example, the Prime Minister has recently announced the development of a new online-only ‘hospital’, which will be accessible from anywhere, helping to relieve pressure on the service as a whole. This will free up space in real-world facilities, meaning that it will benefit even those without digital skills.
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